• Closing order issued under Section 31-B (1) of National Accountability (Amendment) Act, 2022.
• NAB earlier contended that Khan’s society lacked official approval.
• Anti-graft body hasn’t shut inquiry into assets beyond means case.

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has ended its probe into the alleged encroachment by the housing society of Aleem Khan, the President of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), The News reported, under a new law.

The executive board of NAB has revealed that the order for closing the investigation against the politician was issued in accordance with Section 31-B (1) of the National Accountability (Amendment) Act, 2022.

During the probe, the anti-corruption authority contended that transforming agricultural land into an urban settlement required official approval, which the project allegedly lacked.

However, the anti-graft body has not shut its inquiry into the assets beyond means case in which Aleem remains under investigation.

The IPP leader, who was earlier associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was arrested during an inquiry into the assets beyond means case in February 2019, while he was serving as a provincial minister in the PTI-led government.

Following his arrest, the politician resigned from his ministry. At the time, Aleem was elected from PP-158 (Lahore-XV) in the 2018 general elections. He was Punjab’s senior minister for local government and community development, planning, and development.

Aleem was tasked by then-prime minister Imran Khan to lead the party’s efforts in achieving the 100-day agenda.

But after differences emerged between him and Khan, he joined parted ways with the PTI chief.

In June this year, Jahangir Khan Tareen, founder of the Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), announced appointing Khan as the president of his newly-formed party — the new home of most Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) deserters.